Senate bill eyes new visa to attract digital nomads, boost tourism

This photo taken on June 2, 2021 shows digital nomad, Carlo Almendral, the chief executive of an artificial intelligence start-up, sitting on the beach in the town of San Juan, La Union province, north of Manila. FILE PHOTO/Agence France-Presse

MANILA, Philippines — A Senate bill seeking to establish a new visa category for digital nomads has been filed.

In Senate Bill No. 2991, filed on Monday, Sen. Joel Villanueva defined digital nomads as people who travel while working remotely using digital technologies.

According to Villanueva, granting a visa for digital nomads could help boost Philippine tourism by allowing visitors to stay in the country longer while working for a foreign-based employer or business.

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Under Villanueva’s bill, the new visa category for digital nomads would be valid for one year and renewable for another year.

Applicants must provide proof of sufficient income earned outside the country, hold valid health insurance for the duration of the visa, have no criminal record in their home country, and pose no threat to the Philippines, among other requirements.

“Digital nomads spend money and therefore, would benefit the economy. The Philippines is a promising destination for those who embrace nomadic lifestyle and leverage technology to work remotely from outside their home country,” Villanueva said.

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“While they are not allowed to take local jobs, they can share their knowledge and best practices to the local communities”, he added.

Villanueva is hoping that with this type of visa in place, more digital nomads would be attracted to make the Philippines their hub.

At present, there are more than 50 countries that offer this type of visa.